The jury watched intently with the case now reset. The first witness to the stand was an elderly mother of three from Kazoku Village. She waved at Hokori nearby and reminisced about his toddler days.

Grausames banged his table, which startled her. “Know your place under God Law, madam. And this place has no patience for chitchat.” He snapped his finger. “On with it!”

“Y-Yes… Right you are, sonny.” She sweated bullets and cleared her throat; the court listened carefully. “When I tended to my lavender garden, the woman before me waved. I’d say her smile could swoon even other ladies.

“I thought my eyes deceived me that day. But it was none other than Hokori’s loyal comrade for years. Tokino Minagawa. She asked politely for assistance; I never denied it. However, as we did our duty, she hummed louder.

“Even though I didn’t think much of it, I asked her about her overt happiness. She said, ‘I’m finally free, ma’am. I never loved my family ever so much as now.’

“I waved her goodbye, and she went back to said family. I found it odd that Novusian mages suddenly disappeared. They once knocked on my home every three hours. What’s more, I heard my neighbors cheering nonstop. Later that afternoon, I found out Alessandro Inc. was no more.

“What shocked me the most was a boy who ran screaming from a scene uphill. He told every bloody detail, but our beloved village head said otherwise. Almost like he sided with Tokino’s crusade.”

Grausames crossed his arms with his eyes closed. “Hmmm… Decisive. Very decisive indeed. I would call said village head to the stand. But it appears the evidence speaks for itself.” He opened a report.

“The blood from Mrs. Minagawa’s rapier matched perfectly with mage officials. Ergo, again, I don’t see a point in prolonging the show.” He chuckled. “Well, judge. Do your part, and make it—”

“Objection!!!” Hokori pointed sharply and slammed his table with both hands. “Sorry, miss. But it looks like ya got cotton in your ears. Tokino would never say that.” His words shocked the whole jury. The mentioned mage’s eyes narrowed a little.

The prosecutor chuckled. “It appears we’ve got ourselves the defense of a lifetime. And by that, I mean everyone will remember its record-breaking failure.”

He chuckled back. “I had enough bullshit for one day, bruh. Shut your pipe n’ hear me out.” He pulled up a paper.

“Her testimony stated she heard her neighbors cheering. I can attest this; even take responsibility. Because it was me they cheered.” He thumb-pointed. “I lifted an entire mountain to bury the three highways for good.”

“And how exactly is it relevant?” He raised an eyebrow. “Even with that cleared, how can you possibly explain the blood on her rapier? Are you saying that thugs stole it from the archmage? Let alone use it to kill thousands of lower rankings?”

The jury stood surprised upon seeing Hokori nod. Even his family’s eyes widened beyond belief. Kakunō and Kenkō face-palmed. Meanwhile, Tokino’s eyes squinted. She clutched her chest and shook her head lightly. “Please don’t do this, brother….”

Despite the scorn, he stood tall and smiled. “Seems to me you’re slow on the uptake, Gossamer.” He pulled out a plastic bag. “The magic of evidence knows no bounds!”

Grausames closed his eyes and tsked. “If you’ve filled that empty thing with hot air, you’re more juvenile than I thought.” He snapped his fingers. “Show some respect, ignoramus! And remember my name next time!”

He chuckled. “I would, but you’re deadass annoying in every way. It ain’t no hot air, bruh. It’s an apple.” He dropped it on the floor, and it rolled. “It ain’t like anyone can just make things invisible with runes.

“Detectives found the teeth marks’ DNA to be not Tokino’s. In fact, it didn’t match any census from either Coelestis or the Prosperity Triangle.”

The jury began having second thoughts. However, the prosecutor would not have it so easy. He pointed and snapped sharply that she mastered runes far above the national average. No one in court denied it.

However, the attorney had another trick up his sleeve. “Seems faulty to me, bruh. Not gonna lie.” He showed his report. “They found her rapier lying on the already bloody crime scene. And get this…” he banged the table, “…the fingerprints were different. Your report is outdated!!” He pointed sharply back.

Grausames grunted with his teeth clenched and fell to the table. His sweat drops became bigger by the second. The jury stood flabbergasted, while Hokori’s family cheered early.

“Order! Order!” the judge pounded his gavel three times.

After a five minutes recess, he confirmed the updated report. Even research mages found no signs of forged evidence.

He felt exhausted and sighed. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. Hokori’s done an excellent show in court. I’m afraid we’ll have to consider your most prized accolade, Grausames.”

The mentioned prosecutor continued sweating, and now panted heavily. In the end, he straightened his tie and acknowledged the attorney’s performance. He even suggested he take proper law training for his outstanding performance.

The judge asked the jury for the final verdict. An overwhelming number gave a thumbs up. He sighed again. “Under code 05-CM-26381, we find Mrs. Tokino Minagawa, Coelestis representative, not guilt—”

“Objection!!!”

Everyone in court stood in shock. It came from the defendant’s mouth. She lowered her hand; her eyes showed melancholy like no one else.

“I set this up, your honor. I told my brother, Hokori, to feed an apple to a no-name merchant in the black market. He travelled a lot.” She turned to him with a smile. “You didn’t have to do this. But thank you.”

Everyone still stood in shock, even the coldhearted prosecutor. No one ever imagined her as a conniving individual. Her husband and family never spoke of such feats. As a result, dread filled their hearts. They felt like they lost a marathon near the finish line. “Mama… Mama!” Yukino cried. Her siblings restrained her.

Hokori sweated and hyperventilated. His eyes frowned, and he shook his head multiple times. “No… No, don’t. Please, kid. We want you out. We want you back!” He unintentionally released his pressure onto the court. Fortunately, it did not affect his family.

Grausames slowly got back up after feeling its massive weight. He stretched his back and showed a face of regret. To everyone, it was the shock of the century.

He sighed with lowered eyes. “I’m afraid this is why I never connect with anyone in court. Once they show their fangs, they’re never the same to me.”

The judge nodded in agreement. As he heard Yukino bawling in the background, he gripped his gavel tight. The whole jury expressed severe pity. He held back sorrows and cleared his throat. “Under code 05—”

The double doors banged open from afar. Some of the jury stood disappointed they heard no “objection” anymore. Harald, the king, walked with a straight back onto the court’s center. Brigade mages accompanied him.

“A million apologies for the tardiness, everyone. Protesters threw pie at me again.” He walked back and forth, eyes intent. “I give all my blessings to this wonderful archmage. Nothing more said. She is free to go.”

For the first time ever, Grausames did not yell at his decisions. He straightened his tie and kneeled. “Thank you, your majesty. I couldn’t do anything to ease the sadness wafting in this room.”

Hokori’s family cheered loudly, and even the jury followed suit. On the other hand, his face remained frowned. He knew one thing they never did. It tore up his heart.

Before anyone saw it, Tokino flash-stepped away from the courtroom. Haruto tried to reach out a hand; his smile disappeared.

She utterly refused to leave the detention center. Guards left the door open but to no avail. They decided to leave for a break.

Her family walked in the hallway with chained souls. The more they reached the place, the heavier it became. Tears welled up on Yukino and Kenkō.

Kakunō broke the silence with a confused hum. “You know… Her statement was a load of bull. Even kindergartners tell better stories.” He shrugged and turned to Hokori. “How exactly did you do it again?”

In front, he sighed with his eyes closed. “In another timeline, magicless me would be a ‘body magic’ user. I changed every strand of DNA in me for a brief second. My fingerprints, too.” He looked at his hands. “In the bathroom, I looked like Tom Selleck.”

His eyes lowered, and he nodded. “Good to know.”

Five minutes later, they arrived at the center. Tokino sat by a wall, knees bent with arms wrapped around them. Haruto went inside first and asked her to stand up. She shoved him and shook her head. He could do nothing.

His heart ached like never before. His wife sounded like she could bawl at any moment. “Leave me. Please…” was all he heard. Yukino stepped in next to comfort her. Fortunately, she saw a smile but still refused to go out.

Hokori told his family to stand by. He kneeled before her. “Kid, I told you. We ain’t on some K-drama, anime, soap opera, or whatever sob story. Like it or not, you’re comin’ back with us.”

She sulked further, head lowered. “Please don’t… Everyone… go home. Give me time….” She sniffled.

He sighed. “Kid, don’t deny the reality here. You’re married to a mass murderer. A former imperialist. But ain’t none of us here treat him like dirt. Haruto’s family. So are you. Besides that, we murdered thousands of demons back in Smaragdos. A lot of them had kids, by the way.”

She could bear to hear his voice. Tears flowed out even more. “Brother… don’t do this. Don’t make it sound like what I did was okay. I killed so many Novusian mages. And many of them—were parents.”

He sighed again with rolling eyes. “Do I have to say it twice? This ain’t fuckin’ Anohana. It’s time for you to—”

“Please!! Please don’t do this!” She looked at him with sobs and clenched teeth. At that moment, Yukino turned away and held her sister close.

She lowered her head once more. “I’m not denying your concerns. But I beg of you. Don’t show me kindness I don’t deserve right now. I need time to repent. And I’d rather gut myself with every life I took. It’s the least I can do….”

Once again, Hokori sighed with closed eyes. He held her shoulder. “Repent, ya say? Then go to a church. Not wallow here. There’s one, two blocks away. We’re here for you no matter what.

“I’m not looking through you as the murderous Bear with pent-up anger issues. You’ve always been—the powerful and fearless mage I knew. Come, stand up. Let’s count your blessings.”

She looked up again and nodded slightly. As she stood up, he gave her a serene smile. For a moment, she saw her mother within him.

He stroked her hair. “Tokino… look at yourself. You’re a strong, beautiful woman with a loving daughter—and a husband who’s always there for you. You have a brother and sister who’ll fight alongside you. Lastly, you have the eldest brother—who can lead you to live a damn good life.

“But if you really want to repent, here’s my penance.” He lent her a fistbump. “Whaddaya say, kid? End the sob story and just accept it.”

Tokino immediately complied and held back tears. “Okay… Okay. I’m not crying. Not at all.” She shook her head, and she hugged him like the world depended on it. From afar, Yukino held back as well. So did everyone.

Outside, Hokori suggested his family do karaoke night with Danielle and her comrades. Yukino jumped up and down.

Tokino giggled. “Slow down, honey….” As she saw Hokori carrying her daughter on his shoulders, she shed one tear.

“Thank you… brother…. Thank you for everything….”

Thirty kilometers away from Coelestis lay a mountain-sized firedrake nest. It got disturbed hours ago. The massive dragon queen “killed itself” by plunging into a rock spike that pierced its long throat all the way.

A nearby man observed the corpse and caressed his chin. From behind stood the girl from Smaragdos. “Why did you do that? I fail to see why you would.”

He stopped caressing and stood up. He had a closed smile. “I wanted to know what it felt like to be a firedrake queen. It’s… interesting. I’m not as mobile in the air, unlike a regular one. As expected.

“After that… I wanted to know how it would feel… if it died this way.” He pointed at the rock spike going through its anus.

She sweated bullets with eyes lit up. “I can’t believe it… Surely, you had at least one good memory in your previous life. What the hell are you!?” She looked at the man’s nape. Unlike other reborn humans, the tattoo was no nation’s flag. Instead, it was white with a black question mark.

He turned around. “What am I? Well, certainly, not human. I never wanted to be. Ever read Osomu Dazai’s work? I wish he stayed nonhuman.”

He walked from afar and called one man’s attention. His lanky look made him a shoe-in for the word geek. He even dawned glasses and Hawaiian clothing.

“Cause a good distraction, cultured fellow,” he ordered. “The boy needs to be awake before they know it.”

“Hahahahahaha! That’s already in session, sir. My ‘traveling circus’ has already caught Coelestis’ attention.” He walked away with his hands inside his pockets. “Believe me, I’ll make it even stranger. Just need some good shows for reference.”

The man waved and looked at the dead queen again. He held a syringe in one hand. As the girl still sweated bullets before him, she heard the hum of “Auld Lang Syne.”

As this story went on, a true monster eyed the City of Gods. Home invasion was the next goal.